Merchandise-chute.



G. F. GORMAGK.

MERCHANDISE GHUTE. l APPLIoAjHoN FILED MAB? e, 1909.

961,340'.A PatemvaeaJune 14,1910.

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,17'7 ORNE K A'mnimas F. common, oFMILnvALLEY, CALIVFORNIA.

MERCHANDISE-CHUTE.

Speceation of Letters Patent.. Patented June 14C, 1910.

Application led March 6, 1909. Serial No. 481,785.

California, have invented certain mprove ments in Merchandise-Chutes Y My improvements relate to'chutes such as are 1n use in warehouses for lowering` mer chandise by gravity and particularly to spiral chutes which pass successive iioors or levels where it is desired to charge materials. It is my urpose to provide such chutes with improved) means for conveniently charging and discharging merchandise at various levels and in conjunction therewith providing automatic mechanism for trapping tires. To this end branch feed chutes, having direction tangential to and pitch the same as the main chute, enter the latter from several floor levels while traps at the floor levels are adapted for closing and openingl the chute as well as the floor passages therefor.

The characteristic features of my invention are disclosed in the accompanying draw# ings and the following description thereof. In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is an elevation of a s lral chute having my improvements applie thereto, part being brokenaway for the purpose of better illus tration, and Fig. 2 is a plan view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.-

In the embodiment ofthe improvements illustrated in the drawings, a center post 1 and the warehouse floors 2 carry the respective brackets 3 and 4 which support the spiral chute 5, the latter extending through several ioors to the landing table 6. Branch feed chutes 7, having the pitch of the main chute and direction tangential thereto, extend from the several upper floors of the buildin into the main chute, the junction of the oors of the main and branch chutes beine' without break or obstruction to the regular movement into the main chute from the branch chutes of sacks, packages or other containers delivered to the latter from the warehouse floors. Preferably the fioors of the branch chutes at the entrance thereto are the trap being dlsconnectedmanually when it is deraised sli htly above the building floors or to a hei 'it convenient for receiving from handling trucks and preventing the accidental movement of matter upon the building ioors into the chutes.

The passages 8 'for the main and branch chutes fthrough the floors 2 and also the chutes are adapted to be closed by traps 9 connected by hinges l0 to the ioors 2, the traps having the respective flanges 11 and 12 adapted to tit the respective chutes 5 and 7 so as to close them and the hinged {iap 13 adapted to iit against the bottom of the main chute so as to form a bridge therefrom to the corresponding building floor when its trap is down. A cord 14 serves to hold up when this is desired, the string sired to lower the trap or otherwise automatically in case of fire.

Having described .my invention, I claim:

l. A chute in combination with a trap having a flange rigidly fixed thereto transversely to the plane thereof, said flange being adapted for closing said chute, in combination with a floor having an aperture closed by said trap.

2. A merchandise chute having a branch in combination with an apertured floor and a trap having means for closing said Hoor chute and branch.

3. A spiral merchandise chute having a branch, in combinationwith a floor and a trap hinged to sai`d` iloor, said trap having means for closing said chute and branch.

4. A spiral chute in combination with a iioor and a trap hinged to said ioor, said tra having a flange ixed lthereto for closing sai carrying materials from said chute onto said tra when the latter is down.

Iii witness whereof I have hereunto set mv name this 28rd day of IFebruary, A. D. 1909, in the presence of the "subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES F. CORMACK.

Witnesses:

ROBERT JAMES EABLEY, J os. G. DENNY, Jr.

chute and a bridge hinged thereto for- 

